Along with increase in the number of pixels of a CMOS image sensor or the like, variation in the performance of the CMOS image sensor due to the individual difference is becoming a problem.
Because of such variation, how noise such as a dot defect occurs also differs by each CMOS image sensor for example. In order to carry out correction suitable for a captured image, adjustment of the correction level of a DSP or the like for executing image processing for an individual CMOS image sensor, and so on, need to be carried out.
The DSP or the like is frequently provided outside the CMOS image sensor or the like. Depending on the degree of the variation, the adjustment of the correction level of the DSP or the like, and so on, fails to be properly carried out in some cases. Therefore, it is useful to know the degree of the variation before the DSP or the like is attached to the CMOS image sensor or the like.
Thus, a sample of variation anticipated in advance is created, and evaluation as to whether or not the DSP or the like can properly correct noise and so on for this sample, and so on, is carried out.
However, it is difficult to create the sample of the variation anticipated in advance, and it is also difficult to carry out strict limit evaluation. In particular, it is very difficult to predict the limit value of the variation (it refers to the maximum variation).
On the other hand, it is possible to correct the variation by a simple operational function inside the CMOS image sensor. However, the correction by the simple operational function frequently has an adverse effect on correction processing by a high-performance DSP or the like.
For example, according to Patent Document 1, an external memory is incorporated in an individual imaging device and the characteristics of the individual imaging device are stored in the memory. At the manufacturing stage, a microcomputer in the individual imaging device reads out the characteristics from the memory and carries out initialization operation suitable for the characteristics. Thereby, correction processing and so on dependent on the individual difference of the individual imaging device can be executed.